The weather may be getting better so I will work more dogs. I’m getting bored with the retrieving table but I have to continue. So I’m going to work Sally and Tur Bo on pigeons. It’s just more fun to work pointing dogs.
Tur Bo waiting for me to release a pigeon.
Sally waiting for me to release a pigeon.
Tur Bo after I released the pigeon.
I took Sally to the retrieving bench and worked her on 7 different bumpers. She did most of them just fine but a couple of times I had to pull the string. Each time she dropped the bumper or failed to take it right away I pulled the string. That made her grab the bumper.
After she retrieved the bumpers two times each I made a game of taking them back to the basket. She seems to really like taking the bumpers back to the basket. Part of it has to be that she knows it’s about over. When we got them back in the basket I took her back to the kennel after letting her run for while.
I hid 3 pigeons in the brush and tall weeds on the training grounds. I, also, put two pigeons in the bird bag that was slung around my neck. I put the e-collars on Tur Bo’s neck and flanks, snapped a check cord to his collar after running a half hitch around his flanks and led him out with the piggin’ string.
I heeled him past some trees and put him on whoa. I tied the check cord to a tree then walked in front of him and took a pigeon from the bird bag. I put a rubber band around one wing and dropped it in front of Tur Bo. The pigeon tried to fly but hit the ground. It flapped it’s wings trying to fly. It got off the ground but come back down. The third time it tried to fly the rubber band came off and it flew away. I shot the blank pistol. Tur Bo didn’t move.
I had another pigeon in the bag. When I took it out it was so dirty I didn’t even try to put a rubber band on it, I just released it. I shot the blank pistol and Tur Bo didn’t move. I untied the check cord, petted him then led him away. I whoaed him after about 25 yards and tapped his head to release him.
When I released Tur Bo he headed for the bird field. I followed. When I got close to the first bird he was on point. I didn’t see him go on point but I don’t think he had moved. I tied the check cord to a tree then went in front of him. I kicked the brush, flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. Tur Bo never moved. I untied the check cord, stroked his sides then led him away. I released him to hunt.
He went to the back on my side then we went to the back on the neighbor’s side. I saw him when he hit the scent cone and he locked up as soon as he hit it. I stood back watching but he never moved. I tied the check cord to a tree then went in front of him kicking the brush. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. The pigeon hit some limbs and fluttered through the trees. Tur Bo thought he could catch the pigeon so he started toward the bird. The check cord tightened up and stopped him. I picked him up and set him back. I walked in front of him kicking the brush. He didn’t move. I untied the check cord and led him away. I whoaed him and tapped him on the head to release him.
Again, I saw him when he scented the next pigeon. He slammed into a point. I watched him for a few seconds but he wasn’t trying to move. I tied the check cord to a tree. I went in front of him kicking the brush. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. Tur Bo didn’t take a step but his front feet did a dance. I untied the check cord, stroked his sides then led him away. I whoaed him then tapped his head to release him. I took him back to the kennel.
Sally backing Tur Bo at Black Kettle Grasslands.
I reloaded the release traps and put a couple of pigeons in the bird bag. I put the e-collars on Sally and led her out of the kennel with the piggin’ string dragging a check cord. We passed a tree and I whoaed her. I tied the check cord to a tree then walked in front of her. I took a pigeon from the bag and put a rubber band around one wing. I dropped the pigeon in front of her and it tried to fly. I shot the blank pistol. This was one of my small pigeons. It tried 3 or 4 times to fly without throwing the rubber band off. It decided to just walk. So far Sally hadn’t moved. I tried to catch the pigeon and it circled a tree. Finally, I caught it and removed the rubber band. I dropped the bird and it flew away. When I was chasing the pigeon Sally moved. I didn’t see her but the check cord was tight. I set her back.
I walked back in front of her and took the other pigeon from the bag. I put a rubber band around one of it’s wings. I dropped the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. The pigeon tried to fly away and hit the ground again. The third time it tried the rubber band came off and it flew away. Sally didn’t move. I untied the check cord, stroked her sides and led her away. After a few yards I whoaed her and released her to run.
I’ve been working her on heel and she was a little sticky when I first turned her out. She may have thought I was going to put her back on the retrieving bench. Once we passed the retrieving bench she was okay.
She went on point in almost the same place that Tur Bo had. I tied her check cord to a tree and walked in front of her. I kicked the bushes, flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I untied her check cord, stroked her sides and led her away. I whoaed her then tapped her head to release her.
She wasn’t sticky after finding a bird. She checked my side out then crossed to the neighbor’s side. We went to the back and she slammed into a point. I tied her check cord to a tree and walked in front of her kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I untied her check cord, stroked her sides and heeled her away. I whoaed her and tapped her head to release her.
Dolly honoring Sally.
She checked every place she had ever found a bird before on the way back toward the front. She whirled into a point when she hit the scent cone on the bird hidden in the bushes. She almost never moves but I tied her check cord to a tree, anyway. I walked in front kicking the cover. I flushed the pigeon and shot the blank pistol. She didn’t move. I untied her check cord, stroked her sides and heeled her away. After a few yards I whoaed her and released her.
Last year when I was working her I could shoot the blank pistol as she ran and she would stop. I haven’t done this for a while and I decided to try. I waited until she wasn’t a long way from me because if she stops I have to walk to her and tap her for the release. She was about 25 yards from me when I shot and she stopped. I stroked her sides and released her to run. We went back to the kennel.
Probably, the reason I have pointing dogs, instead of retrieving dogs, is because I like to see pointing dogs, pointing. I would like to have some really good retrieving, pointing dogs but if it’s a choice between the two I will take pointing dogs, every time.
Sally pointing a pigeon.
Tur Bo pointing a pigeon.
Sally pointing a pigeon.